From field research to community action, learn how we are building evidence-based, locally appropriate solutions to Nigeria's most pressing WASH challenges
Global Eco Oasis Sustainable Initiative (GESI) is a youth-led, research-driven non-governmental organization working at the intersection of environmental stewardship, public health, and social equity.
We are committed to reducing the burden of preventable diseases and addressing the socioeconomic disadvantages faced by marginalized communities in Nigeria and across Africa.
At GESI, we believe that systemic gaps in public health and environmental infrastructure are root drivers of poor health outcomes and persistent poverty. Our approach is grounded in rigorous scientific and social research to uncover underlying causes of these challenges and to design innovative, locally appropriate, and cost-effective solutions that communities can sustain.
The vision for GESI was born when a group of young public health researchers, led by Ojima Z. Wada, encountered the stark reality of WASH inadequacies during a research project in Badagry, Lagos State. The experience revealed how deeply water, sanitation, and hygiene deficiencies were entrenched in Nigerian communities, and planted the seed for an organization dedicated to changing that.
GESI was officially registered as a non-governmental organization (CAC/IT/124250), formalizing our commitment to tackling preventable diseases through evidence-based, locally appropriate environmental interventions.
We conducted our pioneering school WASH survey across public and private secondary schools in Akinyele LGA, Ibadan. The findings were alarming: over 60% open defecation rates in public schools, 80% of schools without basic water and sanitation services, and not a single school providing basic handwashing facilities. This data became the foundation for everything that followed.
Marking Global Handwashing Day, GESI raised over N500,000 and provided 15 handwash stations to a school that had zero hygiene services. We trained approximately 1,000 students and teachers on recommended hand hygiene practices and established a facility maintenance committee at the institution.
When the pandemic hit, GESI pivoted to provide hand hygiene training and handwash facilities to religious communities in Ibadan, helping congregations adopt proper hygiene practices to curtail the spread of COVID-19 and other hygiene-related diseases.
With fieldwork constrained, GESI channelled its energy into rigorous data analysis and scientific publishing. Over this period, our team produced dozens of peer-reviewed papers on WASH, environmental health, wastewater resource recovery, and public health, accumulating thousands of citations. These publications have contributed to policy conversations and established GESI as a credible research voice in the WASH space.
GESI launched its inaugural WASH/SDG 6 Research Seed Grant for Nigerian university students, hosted the 2025 Essay Competition on hand hygiene commemorating Global Handwashing Day, and intensified digital advocacy campaigns to engage a wider audience.
GESI entered its most active phase yet, introducing monthly community needs assessments across underserved communities in Nigeria, sustained digital engagement campaigns, research grant calls, youth environmental competitions, and a growing volunteer network of young WASH advocates.
Guiding principles that drive our work and define our aspirations
To alleviate the burden of preventable diseases and uplift the socioeconomic status of marginalized Nigerian communities by conducting rigorous scientific research and delivering cost-effective, locally appropriate WASH interventions guided by our core values of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability.
A Nigeria where every community has equitable access to clean water, safe sanitation, and proper hygiene services, and where locally developed, evidence-based frameworks serve as replicable models for communities facing similar challenges across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The principles that guide every aspect of our work and define who we are
We believe that protecting and restoring the environment is inseparable from protecting public health. Every intervention we design considers its long-term environmental impact.
We design solutions that communities can maintain long after our involvement ends. Cost-effectiveness and local appropriateness are built into every framework we develop.
Every intervention we plan is backed by validated scientific and social research. We do not assume what communities need; we generate the data to know.
GESI was founded by young researchers and continues to invest in the next generation through research grants, competitions, mentorship, and volunteer pathways that build real-world skills.
Passionate young researchers, community organizers, and environmental advocates driving change
Our team consists of dedicated professionals including researchers, field coordinators, data analysts, and community liaisons working across Nigeria and other African countries.
